Non-Degree Certificate Programs, Graduate

If you have a degree, the College of Education offers certificate options to enhance your education and add to your current credentials. You can also complete targeted subject matter coursework without an additional degree.

NEW PROGRAM - College Career Counseling Certificate

The
College Career Counseling Certification offered by the Counseling Program in
the Division of Psychology and Counseling is designed in a hybrid format that
will be accessible to a diverse population of various localities. While most
course work is accomplished online, face to face class meetings will enhance
the community feeling among students. The curriculum includes a sequence
of five 3-credit hour courses designed to prepare professionals to enhance
college career readiness in adolescents and adults in preparation for the
challenging workforce. The curriculum focuses on knowledge and skill
building in the areas of college career assessment, college admission
counseling and career coaching with individuals in the secondary and
postsecondary settings. Prospective, practicing or retired professionals
in counseling, academic advising, financial aid, registrar, student life and
human resources will find a window of opportunity for professional renewal,
development and advancement.

Student
Progress: The faculty monitors and evaluates student progress
continuously. The Counseling Department Faculty and Student Handbook provide a
specific description of the standards used to evaluate student progress.

Conditional Continuation:The faculty may permit a student to progress
conditionally.In such cases, faculty
review of the applicant’s records and performance identifies evidence that the
student is likely to be successful in the program.The status of all students permitted to
progress conditionally is reviewed by the faculty each semester, and students
are informed in writing of the conditions necessary for them to be transferred
to good standing status.When conditions
are met, the student is transferred to good standing status.Students may not be admitted to the calumniating
project without achieving good standing status.

Certificate
Requirements:Students
must meet all university requirements for a certificate. A 100- hour practicum
embedded in COUN 8852 is required for all students.

I.Required Preparation/Prerequisites Courses: To receive the College Career Coaching Certificate,
students must successfully complete the following courses with a grade of “B”
or better.

The Early Childhood Education Program offers those teachers already holding an Elementary Education or Special Education license, a “license only” track that does not lead to a Master of Arts degree. Contact the academic advisor, Cynthia Hutson chutson@govst.edu, for more information.

The use of the Internet to teach and learn, in fully online and hybrid formats continues to expand rapidly. As a result, there is a need for professionals with the skills to develop and facilitate high-quality online learning. The Certificate in Online Teaching prepares instructors to design, produce and facilitate online courses. Every course in the certificate is offered online with no on campus requirements.• The Certificate is designed for graduate students, college faculty, K-12 teachers, community college instructors or anyone interested in teaching online.• Courses are offered fully online and certificate students will need high-speed Internet connections.• Courses are offered year-round, but must be taken in sequence.

• Students own what they produce. Everything they develop (media, assessments and content) is theirs to keep and publish online.

Program Details

The certificate is offered at the graduate level. Students must have completed a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited, post-secondary institution. Illinois in-state tuition rates apply to all students enrolling in the Certificate in Online Teaching program no matter where they reside. GSU is the most affordable university in Illinois. Admission applications are available at www.govst.edu/Apply. The completed application, including admission fee, should be mailed to:

Office of Admission, Governors State University, 1 University Parkway, University Park, Illinois 60484.

Send transcripts of all previous college work to the Governors State University Office of Admissions. For more information, contact the certificate advisor at ontladvisor@govst.edu or 708.534.4940.

Certificate Requirements

The Certificate in Online Teaching will be awarded to participants who complete the 12-credit-hour program with a “B” or better in each required course.

Required courses:

ONTL 6101 Introduction to Online Teaching (3)

ONTL 6201 Facilitating Online Learning (3)

ONTL 7101 Designing Online Courses (3)

ONTL 7201 Producing Digital Content (3)

Total – 12 Hours

In our education-driven society, learning to read is the essential first step children must take on the road to successful and productive futures. Helping children become proficient readers makes a huge difference in their lives and boosts a school’s overall quality. The Reading Teacher Endorsement certificate program at Governors State University prepares you to teach reading to K-12 students and make a difference.

Post-B.A. Certificate Program

The certificate leads to an Illinois State Board of Education endorsement. In addition to meeting the university admission criteria, you must hold an Illinois or comparable out-of-state license in Early Childhood Education, Elementary, Secondary, or Special Education. You must have completed two years of teaching before being admitted to the reading diagnosis course.

You will take courses in diagnosis, remediation, psycholinguistic and sociolinguistic foundations of literacy, integrating literature across the curriculum, and narrative and expository writing instruction. Practicum experiences, at either the elementaryor secondary levels, are matched to your existing teaching certificate. You have the option of applying your credits toward the M.A. in Reading and a reading specialist certification. Admission requirements to the M.A. program apply.

Special Admission Requirements

The M.A. in Reading program is offered in an on-campus cohort format. Admission to the M.A. in Reading program is available at two points each year, summer term and fall semester. Applications for summer term admission are due by February 15 and applications for fall semester admission are due by May 15.Applicants must:• Meet the university admission criteria.• Hold an Illinois (or comparable out-of-state) Early Childhood Certificate, Elementary, Secondary, or Special Teaching Certificate.• Have completed at least two years of appropriate teaching experience or will have completed two years of teaching experience before being enrolled in READ7240 Reading Diagnosis.

• Submit a formal application to this certificate program.

Before completing six credit-hours (READ6210 and one additional READ course), students must submit:• The certificate in Reading Teacher Endorsement application.• An additional set of transcripts showing a cumulative G.P.A. of 2.75 or higher in all undergraduatework attempted and all grades in graduate course work at a “B” or better.• Syllabi and/or detailed narrative descriptions of previous graduate reading course work to be evaluated for transfer credit, if applicable.• A copy of a valid Illinois or comparable out-of-state initial, standard, or master teaching certificate.• Evidence of having passed the Test of Academic Proficiency of the Illinois Certification Testing System, or evidence of possessing an Illinois teaching certificate that required passing this test.

• Evidence of two years teaching experience in a recognized public or private school as directed in the application materials.

Requirements for Transfer of Previous Graduate Coursework

Students with previous graduate reading coursework may be allowed to apply a maximum of six credit-hours to the program requirements. Only courses potentially equivalent to specific GSU Reading courses (READ6190,6200, 6220 or 6230) will be considered. Courses must have been completed no longer than six years prior to application for admission to the certificate in Reading Teacher Endorsement. Petitions and documents for these applied credits must be submitted before or at the same time as application for continuation in the certificate, (i.e. prior to completion of READ6210 and one additional READ course). No courses taken at another institution after admission to the certificate may be applied. All petitions for transfer of coursework will be evaluated by the M.A. in Reading faculty.

Completion Requirement - Effective July 1, 2012, ISBE requires the ICTS content test prior to being admitted to READ8260 or 8270. Note: Those who complete the certificate in Reading Teacher Endorsement have the option of applying these credits towards the M.A. in Reading and for licensure as a Reading Specialist. Admission requirements and time restrictions for the M.A. in Reading apply.

School Counselor Certification

This certificate is designed for those who already possess a master’s degree
in Counseling or Psychology and now wish to pursue licensure in School
Counseling (Professional Educator License-Endorsed in School Counseling). A minimum of 24 hours meets the ISBE requirements for the Professional
Educator License-Endorsed in School Counseling.

ISBE Licensure

The Illinois State Board of Education has approved the School
Counseling program to prepare candidates for the Professional Educator
License-Endorsed in School Counseling. Candidates seeking to be recommended for
this credential shall either (1) hold or be qualified to hold a teaching
certificate from a regionally accredited institution, or (2) have completed the
GSU or equivalent teaching competence courses (i.e. EDAD 7801, COUN 7620, COUN
6622 and SPED 6101).

All School Counseling students must provide evidence of successful completion
of the Test of Academic Proficiency [formerly the Illinois Basic Skills Test] OR
the ACT (with a score of 22, including the writing portion) OR the SAT exam (with a score of 1030) prior to
admission to the program. All School Counseling students must
present evidence of passing the ISBE School Counselor Proficiency Test before
they will be recommended for the Professional Educator License-Endorsed in
School Counseling.

Student Progress

The faculty monitor and evaluate student progress continuously. The
Counseling Department Faculty and Student Handbook provides a specific
description of the standards used to evaluate student progress.

Conditional Continuation

The faculty may permit a student to progress conditionally. In such cases,
faculty review of the applicant’s record and performance identifies evidence
that the student is likely to be successful in the program. The status of all
students permitted to progress conditionally is reviewed by the faculty each
semester, and students are informed in writing of the conditions necessary for
them to be transferred to good standing status. When conditions are met, the
student is transferred to good standing status. Students may not be admitted to
the culminating project without achieving good standing status.

Certificate Requirements

Students must meet all university requirements for a certificate. See the
internship manual or materials for additional information. In addition, candidates must complete all relevant requirements in the
"Teacher Education and License" section of the University Catalog. A 600-hour internship is required for all counseling students. Prior to receiving the university recommendation for the Professional
Educator License-Endorsed in School Counseling, students must provide evidence
of having passed the School Counselor content area examination of the
Illinois License Testing System.

I. Required Preparation/Prerequisite Courses (30 Hours)

Counseling Course Prerequisites

COUN6630 Counseling Theories (3)*

COUN7720 Social
and Cultural Foundations (3)*

COUN7725 Family
Systems: Theory and Practice (3)*

COUN7730 Lifestyle
and Career Development (3)*

COUN7847 Group
Dynamics (3)*

COUN
6610 Research and Assessment (3)*

Teacher Competency Prerequisites

COUN7620 Life
Span Development Issues (3)*

COUN6622 Applied
Learning Theory for School Personnel (3)*

EDAD7801 Organizational
Leadership (3)*

SPED6101 Survey
of Students with Exceptionalities (3)*

*or equivalent courses

II. School Counseling - Hybrid (24 Hours)

Required Certificate Courses

COUN6638
Introduction to School Counseling (3)

COUN8844 Practicum
School Counseling (K-12) (3)

COUN8851
Consultation and School Staff Development (3)

COUN8852 College
Career Coaching Academy (3)

COUN8853 Parent
Education: Prevention and Intervention (3)

COUN8858 Development of School Counseling Programs (3)

COUN8868
Counseling Internship I: School Counseling (3)

COUN8869 Counseling Internship II: School
Counseling (3)

Total – Minimum of 24 Hours

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS AND PROCEDURES

In addition to the GSU graduate certificate requirements for admission, applicants must:

Provide evidence of having completed a master’s degree from a
regionally accredited institution of higher education in counseling or
psychology.

Provide evidence of having passed the Test of Academic Proficiency (formerly the Basic Skills Test) of the Illinois Certification Testing System, the ACT exam or the SAT exam.

Have a graduate GPA of 3.0 or higher.

1. Fill out a GSU Certificate Application located online. A $50 fee required. a. Please write "SCCC" in the spot that asks for the certificate code.

2. Fill out and attach to the above Certificate Application a Counseling Supplemental Packet:

The Mindfulness in the
Helping Professions Certificate Program is a 14-credit hour multidisciplinary
program offered by the College of Health and Human Services and the College of
Education.

The program combines classroom instruction,
labs, and integrative seminars. It will prepare post-master's level
practitioners and advanced graduate students to integrate mindfulness practice
and theory into their clinical practice. Although mindfulness has been practiced
for centuries, psychotherapy has more recently incorporated this evidence-based
practice to enhance healing and psychological unfolding.

If you are interested in applying to
the Mindfulness in the Helping
Professions Certificate Program, we ask that you first read the Instructions for Certificate Application
Process.We suggest that
you begin the process early and follow up with the individuals and institutions
who must submit supporting documentation on your behalf.

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